1.0.1 firmware update to new iPods improves UI speed

Reader reports have been telling us that the newest firmware update to the …

In our review of the iPod classic and third-gen iPod nano, our biggest criticisms were about the slowness of the UI. Especially on the classic, that thing is just damn laggy. And we weren't the only ones to think so—the discussion thread was full of people who agreed that the UI was about as slow as molasses. It was kind of surprising to see a product come out of Cupertino that was this level of slow in 2007.

But Cupertino isn't blind, and has released a 1.0.1 firmware update to the iPods, which is available through iTunes. The description merely says "bug fixes," but we have received many reports that it improves vastly UI responsiveness. A thread on the MacRumors forums also details this, with many users noting that the UI on the iPod classic now appears to be on par with the 5G iPods, but that Cover Flow still runs like sludge. You guys shouldn't be using Cover Flow on that thing anyway.

This is a major update, in our mind, as it improves one of the greatest pitfalls of the new iPod classics. We would test it on ours, but... well, it's kind of in the ICU right now and not responding as quickly as it should already. The firmware update also applies to 3G iPod nanos, which also appears to improve the (less noticeable) lagginess.